Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s Office Speaks on P902.8-Million Proposed Budget for 2026
SARA DUTERTE’S OFFICE – The OVP cited the “flagship projects” of the office of the Vice President in Department of Budget and Management’s grant of additional funds.
The office of Vice Pres. Duterte is asking for a P902.8 million budget for 2026. It is higher compared to the initial claim of the Vice President saying she won’t ask for a bigger budget for next year as she does not expect it to be approved citing that she is not an ally of the Marcos Jr. administration.
Ahead of the budget hearing, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte even claimed that she already expects cuts from the proposed budget of the OVP for 2026. According to her, the President and the House Speaker are still the same people. She claimed that the budget cuts will allegedly take place when the national budget proposal reaches the House of Representatives.
The Senate and the House of Representatives already got the copies of the proposed budget for 2026 amounting to P6.793 trillion. The lower chamber is set to conduct a hearing on September 12 while the upper chamber is set to hold its hearing on Sept. 15. According to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s office, they are ready to defend their P902.8-million proposed budget for 2026.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN news, the scheduled of the hearings were confirmed by Atty. Ruth Castelo, the spokesperson of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s office. According to her, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the OVP’s proposed budget and recommended it to the Congress.
“Actually, recommended na yun ng DBM sa Congress so sana ito na iyon. Sana hindi na nila bawasan, we’re ready to defend it anytime,” the OVP Spox said.
Based on the report, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s office said that the DBM granted the additional budget for the OVP for the flagship projects of the office. According to her, the said flagship projects include the “Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day” which is a livelihood project and the “PagbaBAGo Campaign” which aims to give away school bags with school supplies to the students and conduct tree-planting.
“Kung sakaling kakailanganin natin mag-realign, pwede naman following legal procedures and then the procedures also of the Commission on Audit. But of course, we’re ready, we’re open to do that if necessary,” Duterte’s office said.
Reportedly, the OVP team will be led by the Undersecretary in case the Vice President won’t be able to attend the Senate and House hearings. Previously, the office of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte stressed that more programs will be accomplished by the OVP if a bigger budget will be approved.